Star Wars: Choices
by Frontline
Summary: When four Padawans discover that Darksider is on a killing spree, they disobey their Masters to stop him.


**Star Wars is the property of Disney and George Lucas. No profit is made, or copyright infringement intended, from this work of fiction**

Ahsoka breathed deeply as she stepped into the book store and she smiled. The shelves were crammed with battered, leather bound books of varying sizes and shapes, a musty smell filling the air. It was very different from the Jedi Archives, where everything was ordered and regimented.

She ran her finger along the spine of the books, reading the titles with a grin on her face.

 _The Stark Hyperspace Conflict...Legions of Lettow...Age of the Neo-Crusaders...The Katana Fleet...The Battle of Ruusaan..._

As she picked up one of the books she heard Master Yoda's words echo in her head with a faint twinge of guilt.

 _Excitement...adventure...a Jedi craves not this things..._

Shaking her head, she grabbed another couple of books and headed for the front of the store.

 _Come on. That isn't what he meant. You're allowed to have a little fun..._

Scout put down her chopsticks and rested her hand on her chin, staring blankly out of the window. Her full name was Tallisbeth Enwandung-Esterhazy, which was one reason she had been given her nickname. With a sigh, she turned away from the view of Coruscant's skyline and glanced around at the other diners. Seeing that no-one was looking, she extended her hand towards her glass, her eyes narrowing in concentration. She knew what she wanted to happen; in her mind, it slid across the table towards her with barely an effort. In reality, the glass stayed resolutely in place and she sat back with a huff.

 _Why is this so hard...?_

Tyzen Xebec picked up one of his pieces from the game board and set it down with a faint click, looking up at Nec with a satisfied smile. They were both Zabrak, dark-skinned and with by the crown of small horns on their heads. However, his smile faded as Nec picked up his own piece and placed it in the centre of Tyzen's formation.

'What?' Tyzen exclaimed leaning closer to look at the board. 'Where did that come from?' He asked, scowling up at Nec, who returned his gaze coolly.

'It was there.' He said, levelly. 'If you had been thinking beyond the next move, then you would have seen it. As a Jedi, I thought you would have known that...'

 _'Manda'yaim kandosii adu. Duum motir kat'ra nau tracinya. Gra'tua cunn hett su dralshy'a.'_

Bardan sat back as the song finished and taking a swig of his ale, looking around the crowded cantina. Right now, it was full of armoured men, helmets with t-shaped visors sitting on the tables next to them, which accounted for the barkeeper's slightly apprenhensive expression. Mandalorians could be a rowdy lot after a few ales. Wiping the back of his mouth with his hand, he turned to the middle-aged man in sandy armour sitting next to him.

'What's the matter, _Bard'ika_?' He asked and Bardan shrugged.

'It's nothing, _Kal'buir_...' He said, taking another mouthful of his ale.

 _I just wish that I felt this at home at the Temple..._

Ellor leant against the stone wall, his hood pulled over head, watching the entrance to the warehouse. As he watched, the door opened and a man stepped out onto street. He could feel his fear pulsing even from this distance. He looked around for a second before shoving his hands into his pockets and heading off down the street. He waited a few seconds before following him, a predatory smile on his face...

'Hey, Scout.' Ahsoka said, dropping into the seat opposite her with a warm smile.

'...hey.' Scout answered, forcing a smile of her own.

'Is...everything alright?' Ahsoka asked and Scout sighed.

'Yeah. It's just...no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to...'

She reached out with her hand towards the glass again, before shrugging helplessly. 'I can't do it.' She finished, lamely.

'You'll get there.' Ahsoka said. 'And worrying will only make it worse. Just focus on what you can do for now.'

'I guess you're right...'

'I am. Come on, we'll need to get a move on if we want to catch up to the others...'

With that, she pulled Scout to her feet and piloted her towards the door...

Bardan leant against the railing, watching the constant flow of speeders, skyhoppers and AirTrams with a faint smile on his face, while below him the sounds and smells of the market drifted up towards him.

'I really hate this place...' Tyzen said, and Bardan glanced over at him. 'It's so...busy and chaotic.'

'I don't know.' Bardan said. 'All these people with their own fears and troubles, hopes and cares. But, they still keep going. It's so...alive.'

'Exactly my point...' Tyzen said. 'Personally, I can't wait to get back to the Temple...'

'...alright.' Bardan said, taking one last look at the marketplace before following Tyzen towards the AirTram stop.

Scout and Ahsoka were heading back to the AirTram stop that would take them to the Temple when Scout felt it.

'What's up?' Ahsoka asked, glancing back over her shoulder to see that she had stopped and was looking around with a faint frown. 'You okay?'

'I'm...not sure.' She said, her normally pretty face dark with concern. 'I thought I felt something...'

'Like what?' Tyzen asked, folding his arms across his chest.

'I'm...not sure.' She repeated, closing her eyes and turning in a slow circle. When she opened them again, she facing an alleyway. Ahsoka turned to Bardan, who shrugged as Scout started walking towards the alley.

'Come on.' Ahsoka said, gesturing to the others and following her. Inside the alley, she found Scout kneeling next to a shape slumped against the wall and she smelt the sharp smell of blood. It was a human male, his eyes staring at nothing and his arms hanging limply, a blaster lying on the floor next to him. Involuntarily, she shivered and Scout looked up at her.

'Do you feel that?' She asked and Ahsoka nodded.

'Yeah. Like when we were on Kohlma. But it can't be...'

'What's going on?' Bardan asked, leaning over their shoulders. 'Is he dead?'

'Yes. And...I think he was killed by a Darksider.'

Ahsoka said, standing up and pulled out her comlink.

'Master? We have a problem...'

Ahsoka looked up as she heard the hum of a repulsor engine, seeing a battered speeder descending towards them. It settled on the sidewalk and Master Kenobi stepped out, followed by a heavyset man in rumpled clothes that looked like they'd been slept in.

'Padawans,' Master Kenobi said, folding his arms into the sleeves of his robes, 'this is Captain Obrim from CSF's Investigation Division.'

Obrim scowled at each of the Padawans in turn, before walking past them into the alley and kneeling by the corpse, returning a few moments later.

'And this is how you found him?' He asked and Ahsoka nodded.

'Yes. There was...' She began, but Obrim turned back to Master Kenobi.

'His name's Mak Cath, a low-level gofer for the Underworld.'

'What do you think happened?' Kenobi asked and Obrim shrugged.

'Who knows? It could have been a contract killing. Or maybe he got drunk and picked a fight with the wrong guy. Either way, it's one less scum on the streets.'

'It wasn't an accident.' Scout said and Obrim turned towards her.

'Oh, yeah? What makes you say that?'

'When we found him, I sensed the Dark Side and...

'Right. He just happened to run into a Dark Jedi, did he?' Obrim turned to Obi-Wan, who closed his eyes for a moment before shaking his head.

'I don't sense anything...'

'Yeah. That's what I figured...'

Obrim shot another dark look at Scout before getting back back into his speeder. As it lifted off, Ahsoka turned to Kenobi.

'Master, I felt it, too. We weren't imagining it...'

'That's enough.' Obi-Wan said. 'CSF is investigating this, now. And I want you all to head back to the Temple.'

'But...'

'Now!'

'How long are you going to stare at that thing, Ellor?' Nuada asked and Ellor looked up at the white-haired woman with a scar across her cheek.

'As long as I kriffing like.' He snapped, returning his attention to the cube that he was holding in one hand. It was pale blue, glowing with a faint light and felt faintly warm in his hand. 'In case you've forgotten, this holocron is what showed us the truth.'

'Truth?' She snorted. 'Who gives a damn about that? It gave us power. The power to get revenge and make those who want to hurt us die...'

'You always were short-sighted, Nuada.' Ellor said. 'There is so much more at stake here than revenge. With this holocron, we can finally protect ourselves and the Republic that exiled us down here will not be able to ignore us any longer.'

'Whatever.' Nuada said, unsheathing her dagger and running her finger along the blade. 'When do we make our next kill?'

'When the time is right!' Ellor hissed and she snarled.

'Ellor...'

'Easy, Nuada.' A skinny, sallow-faced man said from where he was sitting against the wall, his voice soft and cool. 'You won't have to wait long...'

Nuada hesitated for a moment before sitting back down, idly twirling her knife in one hand and Ellor gave a predatory grin. Nuada probably didn't realise just how much power Kilum had. While her rage and bloodlust gave her great strength, it blinded her to the more subtle influences that he'd developed. His thoughts were interrupted by a squeal and he looked round to see Vansic picking up a young Hive Rat by it's tail. As he watched, the huge man flipped the rat into the air, his vast hand closing around it with a sickening crunch that made Ellor smile.

Ahsoka sat back with a sigh, shutting down her holoscreen and massaging her temple. She hated studying at the best of times, but reading about Jedi Healing Trances was about as dull as it got.

'You alright?' Bardan asked and Ahsoka forced a smile.

'Yeah. It's just...I can't help thinking about the guy we found.'

'Me, neither.' Bardan said. 'Are you...sure that you sensed the dark side?'

'Yes.' Ahsoka said and Bardan nodded.

'Okay. What are we going to do?'

'Who says we have to do anything?' Tyzen asked. 'He's a criminal. He got what he deserved...'

'We're Jedi.' Ahsoka said, fixing him with a stare, 'We've got a responsibility to protect people.'

'Master Kenobi ordered us to leave it to CSF...' Scout began, but Ahsoka cut her off.

'If a Darksider is involved, then they're out of their league.'

'So, what can we do?' Scout asked. 'CSF will be crawling all over the alley.'

'We don't need to go back there.' Bardan said, reactivating his terminal. 'What we need to do is find out who could be responsible. We need to check intelligence files, folklore records and security reports. See if there have been any other killings that are similar to this one or whether they are, I don't know, any dark side gangs out there. We need evidence if we're going to convince Master Kenobi.

'When I said I wanted to do something, this isn't what I had in mind.' Ahsoka said, opening up her holo-terminal again and Bardan grinned.

'There is no ignorance, there is knowledge...' He said, grinning as Ahsoka scowled at him.

'...killed in the same way as the others.' Obi-Wan said. 'That makes four, now.'

'Most troubling, this is.' Master Yoda said. 'More than coincidence, I fear.'

'What troubles me is that four Padwans happened to stumble onto it. And these four, in particular.'

'Excuse me, Master.' Anakin asked, from where he was leaning against the wall. 'What that supposed to mean?'

'It means, Jedi Skywalker, that these Padawans are among some of the most tenacious and headstrong currently at training at the Temple.'

'The most promising, you mean.' Anakin retorted and Windu exchanged a glance with Obi-Wan.

'They are determined and courageous, Anakin. No-one denies that. However, they still have yet to develop the discipline and emotional control that is expected of all Jedi.'

'...Yes, Master.' Anakin said, inclining his head in a short bow as Obi-Wan began speaking again.

'CSF is still convinced that this was a gang-related killing, despite the suggestion that a darksider was involved. The chances of them learning more than they have already is remote. However, we need to discover who is behind this. With your permission, Masters?'

'Agreed, Master Kenobi. You and Jedi Skywalker will investigate this matter, discover who is behind the killings and, if possible, who they gained their knowledge from.'

'Yes, Master.'

 _Scout saw the man turn to run, his eyes wide with fear, but he couldn't run fast enough. He barely got two steps before the blade was plunged through his chest and he gave a strangled scream, slumping to his knees. Scout whirled around to see a figure in a dark hooded cloak, a crude weapon in his hands and she drew her lightsaber..._

'...Scout?' Ahsoka said and her eyes snapped open. She was sitting on cross-legged on the floor of the Meditation Garden, Ahsoka, Bardan and Tyzen staring at her.

'Are you alright?' Bardan asked and she shook her head.

'No. I think I just saw the killer.'

'Did you see his face?' Bardan asked and Scout nodded.

'...yes. He wore a hood, but I could tell he was human with red eyes.

'Is that it?' Tyzen snorted and Scout blanched, but Bardan held up a hand.

'It's a start.' Bardan said, standing up and Ahsoka frowned.

'Where are you going?'

'I need to make a call.' He said. 'Everyone get what you need and meet me at the landing pad in 30 mins.'

'What are we going to?' Scout asked and Bardan turned towards her.

'We're going to stop him...'

Bardan glanced around as casually as he could, before stepping into the alcove and pulling out his comlink, holding it up to his lips.

'Kal'buir?'

 _'Hello, son. How you doing?'_

'...fine. Listen, I need a favour...'

Bardan walked as casually as he could towards the landing pad, making sure to keep his robe wrapped around him. Keying in the access code, the door hissed open and he ducked through. Inside, Scout, Tyzen and Ahsoka were waiting with a blue and white Astromech droid.

'Is that Mandalorian armour?' Scout asked, as he approached. 'Where did you get that from?'

'...A friend.' Bardan asked, after a moment. 'I've got some information, too.'

He pulled out a small holo-projector and set it down on the floor, displaying an image of a human male with a scar over one eye.

'That's him!' Scout said and Bardan nodded.

'His name's Ellor Ta'em. He's a member of an underworld gang wanted for several turf war killings over the last six months, along with three others, namely Kilum Saris, Nuada Bessiger and Vansic Nire. Around a month ago, they just...disappeared.'

'Where did you get this?' Tyzen asked. 'CSF?'

'Not exactly.' Bardan said, glancing over towards Ahsoka. 'Are we going to steal a speeder?'

'Yes.' Ahsoka said. 'Artoo?'

The Astromech rolled towards a yellow speeder and extended his manipulator arm, connecting it to the socket under the fuselage and the engine hummed to life.

'I'll drive.' Ahsoka said, vaulting into the cockpit. 'Everyone buckle up...'

The speeder roared out of the Temple, zipping through the skylanes, heading towards the lower levels.

'Did Master Skywalker teach you to drive like this?' Tyzen yelled and Ahsoka grinned.

'Yes!' She yelled over the roar of the wind, turning to Scout. 'Can you sense anything, yet?'

'No.' Scout responded from the rear seat where she was gripping the armrests so hard that her knuckles had gone white. 'Not yet...'

'What else did you see in your vision?' Bardan asked and Scout chewed her bottom lip.

'...I don't know. It all happened so fast. It was dark, but not like night. The light was...wrong and I couldn't see any stars.'

'Sounds like the UnderCity.' Bardan said, reaching out to punch co-ordinates into the console. 'Here. There's an entrance to the UnderCity in CoCo Town, near the Power Substation.'

'How do you know that?' Ahsoka asked and Bardan smiled enigmatically. Fortunately, he was saved from answering by Tyzen.

'Look at this. This entrance isn't far from where we found the body. I think we're on the right track.'

'Then what are we waiting for?' Ahsoka said. 'Hang on...'

Their footsteps rang on the metal floor as they made their way down the tunnel, emerging into the UnderCity. As Coruscant had grown, areas had been walled up or built over entirely, creating the UnderCity. It was a dark and forbidding world, the only illumination coming from the artificial lights that were mounted on the buildings.

'I think we're close.' Scout said, closing her eyes and Tyzen snorted.

'You've said that three times, now. We're just wandering in circles...'

'You think you can do any better?' Scout snapped, rounding on him. 'I'm doing my best...'

She stopped, going pale as she looked around at the others. From the expressions on their faces, they had all felt it, too.

'Which way, Scout?' Bardan said and she chewed her bottom lip. 'You can do it.'

'Okay...' She closed her eyes for a second, turning in a slow circle. ' It's this way.'

'Alright.' Bardan said. 'Let's go. And keep your eyes open.'

They followed Scout along the street, keeping their hoods up and their senses stretched out for the first hint of danger. While they received more than a few stares that were wary or hostile, no-one was paying them much attention.

 _Let's hope it stays that way..._ Bardan thought. _I don't imagine they have much love for Jedi down here..._

'It's here.' Scout said, stopping next to a dingy stairwell with crude graffiti scrawled on the walls. 'I'm sure.'

'Alright.' Bardan said, drawing his lightsaber from inside his robe. 'Let's go...'

They made their way up the stairs as quietly as they could, the faint chill that they had felt back in the alley being all around them now. As they reached the top of the stairs, they came face to face with a hooded figure. He was dressed in a black cloak and was holding a Twi'lek up against a crumbling pillar with one hand around his throat. In his other hand, he held a crude bladed weapon. As they watched, he glanced towards them for a second before plunging the blade into the Twi'lek's heart...

'No!' Scout yelled, as the blade pierced the Twi'lek's heart and she felt his light fade and die. The hooded man dropped him casually and turned towards her, raising the blade. However, he stopped in his tracks when Bardan ignited his saber with a snap-hiss that echoed off the walls. Under the shadow of his hood, Scout thought she saw a smile cross his face as three figures emerged from behind the pillars. Scout fumbled under her robe for her lightsaber and igniting it with a snap-hiss, the glowing blade casting flickering shadows on the walls.

'Kill them.' Ellor said, his voice a silibant hiss and he lunged towards Ahsoka...

Ahsoka ignited her saber, bringing it round in an arc that should have sheared his weapon in two. Instead, their blades met with a flash of sparks and her eyes widened.

 _What...?_

Before she could recover, he knocked her saber aside and slammed the butt of his weapon into her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. As she struggled for breath, he raised the weapon over his head, preparing to bring it down in a blow that would split open her skull...

Tyzen raised his saber as Nuada advanced towards him, drawing two curved blades from beneath her cloak and he allowed himself a smile.

 _This is going to be too easy..._

'I'll give you this one chance.' He said. 'Surrender and I'll let you live.'

'Go to hell, Jedi.' She spat, lunging towards him, slashing her blade towards her throat. Tyzen parried the strike and kicked out with a blow that should have lifted her off her feet. Faster than he expected, she whirled away from his boot and he felt a stab of pain along his ribs. Looking down, he saw that his tunic was stained with blood.

'I guess Jedi do bleed.' She taunted and Tyzen felt his legs buckle as a fresh stab of pain hit him...

Scout raised her light saber as Vansic lumbered forwards, swinging a heavy metal chain towards her head. She swung her saber to block the blow, but the chain held with a shower of sparks, continuing on it's path to strike her on the back of the head. Dazed, she tried to back away as he swung again, the chain whipping out to wrap around her neck. With a grunt, he pulled and she found herself flying through the air to slam into a pillar, something cracking in her side, her lightsaber clattering away. Before she could rise, the chain tightened around her neck and she stretched out her hand for her lightsaber, struggling to draw breath...

Bardan dodged Kilum's spear thrust, feeling it slice through his robe and scrape along his breastplate, his own riposte deflected an inch from opening his throat.

 _Fierfek...he has range on me. Gotta end this, fast..._

He dodged back from a slice that would have taken his head off and extended his hand, reaching out towards him. He gave a strangled choke, his weapon clattering to the floor as he clawed at his throat...

Tyzen struggled back to his feet, another stab of pain nearly making him stumble again and Nuada gave a cold laugh.

'Poor little Jedi. Didn't they teach you about pain in that Temple of yours? I've lived with it every day...'

With a snarl of rage, Tyzen launched himself towards her, his saber clutched in both hands. It seemed like the world was moving in slow motion as she danced away from his blow, her knife slicing the back of his leg and he stumbled, falling to his knees.

'All brawn and no brains...' She taunted and Tyzen's jaw bunched.

 _She's right. You've just been playing her game. Remember what Nec said..._

He reached out with one hand, focusing beyond the pain and fear.

 _There is no emotion, there is peace..._

 _There is no passion, there is serenity..._

 _There is no ignorance, there is knowledge..._

He came to his feet, feeling the Force flowing through him and extended his hand towards her.

 _There is no death, there is only the Force._

Her eyes widened as her weapons were dragged from her hands and Tyzen caught them, turning to deliver a kick to her stomach that lifted her off her feet.

'Surrender.' He said, stepping over her and something wild flashed in her eyes. From underneath her cloak, she drew another dagger and lunged towards him. As fast as she was, Tyzen was faster, his blade piercing her chest and she slumped to the floor, her eyes staring at nothing.

Scout stretched out towards her lightsaber, willing it to move towards her hand, as the chain pulled tighter around her neck.

Her head was pounding and she could feel her vision growing dim.

 _Some Jedi I am. I can't even move my lightsaber when my life depends on it..._

It was funny how she could think such rational, irrelevant thoughts when she was seconds away from death.

 _It's no good...I can't do it..._ She thought, as the chain bit tighter into her neck.

 _Do what you can do..._

Ahsoka's words echoed in her head and Scout kicked out, catching him on the knee and he collapsed with a scream that almost drowned out the crack of bone. His grip on the chain slackened and she rolled forward, grabbing her lightsaber and coming to her feet. She ignited the blade with a snap-hiss and sliced at his hand that held the chain. He gave a shriek of pain and collapsed clutching the stump of his wrist, the chain clattering to the floor. She managed to unwind it from her neck as he came back to his feet and charged towards her, his hand reaching for her throat. He was just about to reach her when her saber sliced upwards to take his arm off and she reversed the blade in a smooth blow that separated his head from his neck. His momentum carried him on a few paces before he slumped to the floor. She stared at the corpse for a second before dropping to her knees, fighting not to throw up...

He kicked and struggled as Bardan lifted her into the air, his breath coming in ragged gasps until his arms fell limply at her sides and he felt him fade from the Force. Gently, he lowered him to the floor and picked up his lightsaber, turning to see Scout looking up at him with her eyes wide.

'What did you do?' She asked and Bardan looked down at his hand.

'I...don't know...'

Ahsoka rolled forward, the blade striking the stone where she had just been and she came to her feet, her blade flashing towards Ellor's neck, who barely managed to parry the blow. She pressed her advantage hard, alternating left and right sweeps that drove him backwards and she struck down with a blow that sheared his weapon in two, as well as slicing his right hand off at the wrist. He stumbled backwards and fell, clutching at his severed wrist.

'Give up.' Ahsoka said, 'It's over.' She moved to stand over him with her lightsaber pointed at his chest, just as he reached inside his tunic and pulled out a silvery sphere.

'Grenade!' Bardan yelled, tackling her to the ground with enough force to knock the wind out of her as the grenade went off with a dull thump that she felt in her teeth.

'Bardan? Are you okay?' Ahsoka shouted, pushing him up and he groaned.

'Ow. Maybe that wasn't such a great idea.' He said, sitting up and shrugging out of his scorched robe. Underneath, his armour plate was pitted, but still intact. 'Wasn't sure that would work.' He added, getting to his feet and looking back at where Ellor had been. Instead of the blackened corpse that he had been expecting, there was no sign of him, only the charred area of floor where he had been lying.

'Everyone okay?' Ahsoka asked as she got to her feet, looking around at the others. 'Then, let's get out of here.'

'Wait.' Tyzen said, reaching down to collect their weapons. 'Master Kenobi needs to see these.'

'We're not going to tell him?' Scout asked. 'We were forbidden from doing this, remember?'

'We're Jedi Knights.' Tyzen said. 'We made a choice and we can't hide from the consequences of that decision.'

'Tyzen's right.' Ahsoka said. 'Even if they kick us out of the Order, I don't regret what we did.'

'Neither do I.' Bardan said, turning to Scout, who looked down at her boots.

'...No.' She said and Ahsoka smiled grimly.

'Come on. Whatever happens, we'll face it together...'

'You deliberately disobeyed our orders.' Master Kenobi said, standing at the front of the briefing room with his arms folded across his chest. Around the table, Ahsoka, Tyzen, Bardan and Scout were seated, with the weapons they had recovered in front of them. 'What do you have to say for yourselves?'

They exchanged glances, Ahsoka finally breaking the silence.

'With respect, Master, we don't regret what we did. We know that we disobeyed you, and we apologise for that, but we did what we thought was right.'

Master Kenobi exchanged a glance with Master Yoda, who gave an almost imperceptible nod.

'Very well. Consider yourselves returned to active duty.'

'What?' Tyzen said. 'I mean, excuse me? I thought...'

'...that you be expelled from the Order?' Kenobi said. 'No. You did disobey orders, but you also showed courage and upheld your responsibilities as Jedi. However, I must remind you of the seriousness of your calling. You have made a dedication to ideals that have supported the Republic for centuries. Do you understand?'

'Yes, Master...'

 **Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Any reviews, comments or constructive criticism is very welcome**


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